In the Broken Lies
by CheeseyCraziness
Summary: She fed lies to herself, lies that all was well within her heart. She should have known those lies would hurt her sometime. When tragedy strikes, it all goes downhill. Her only hope is to see past those lies for once, to find the truth in her love... ExT
1. Happiness

Short, sweet, to the point disclaimer: I don't own CCS, so don't sue me.

.o0o.

Sakura, of course, was positively radiant. How could she not be so beautiful? Her dress was white and shone as though it was silk, but light pink flowers of all kinds were embroidered in no particular pattern all around it. Every now and then, if you looked carefully, you could spot a slightly darker pink cherry blossom. She wore simple white sandals, and her hair, which as she'd grown had become a stunning reddish-honey color, fell to its usual short length with a slight wave present then because of some expert styling.

_By then, of course, we were all grown up. It had been years since I had last thought myself in love with my second cousin, Sakura. After that shocking realization at the age of fourteen, I thought on it for some time, and learned that in truth it had been love. Love, but the kind between sisters and cousins, and added to my deep adoration, it felt to my young self like love. It was not. Standing there, seeing her in that dress, only confirmed that truth more. Even so, she was undeniably beautiful that day. I was so proud of her, for finally making sure this day would come, and I was all smiles. _

Syaoran was looking particularly dashing, as well. His tuxedo was black as tradition dictated, but the material looked brown in the right light, in such a way that you had to look twice to confirm what your eyes had seen. The burnt brown matched the color of his hair, and complemented his amber eyes well. There was a small pink peony embroidered on the pocket of his jacket, and a smaller pink cherry blossom beside it.

_My business partners and employees were under strict orders not to bother me with designing this and approving that on such an important day._

Tomoyo smiled. Sakura and Syaoran looked absolutely perfect.

_Nothing could have gone wrong, and actually, on that day nothing did go wrong._

Looking at their clothes reminded Tomoyo of the many things Sakura and Syaoran had insisted on. One of those had been the clothes themselves. Once hearing that the famous-throughout-all-of-China Li Syaoran, heir to the Li business and clan, intended to marry, designers had thrown themselves at Syaoran and Sakura with many dress and suit designs for them to try, hoping theirs would catch the eyes of the rich Li. They were all after the money, of course.

So, insistence number one was that their clothes for the occasion would be personally designed by Daidouji Tomoyo, the famous designer who had become very popular in Japan in a mere year.

_That perfect day was spent, for me, in happiness. On that day, I would have said I was only happy. Now I know better. I had buried some feelings so deep that not even I knew they were there. Jealousy of Sakura and her soul mate, living their crystalline perfect lives with each other's support. Envy of Syaoran – not for stealing Sakura away, necessarily, but now he would forever be her support, the one she'd turn to in times of dismay. No longer would I be the one whose shoulder she would cry on. Sadness for being unable to find my own love, accompanied by a longing for the same thing. Annoyance at the chef of the cake and the rest of the food, who had found a nice spot to hover for the duration of the wedding – right behind me. To think I'd be annoyed by that now is hilarious. These were only some of the feelings that even I didn't realize were there._

The second insistence was something Tomoyo would always be grateful to Sakura for.

As previously mentioned, Syaoran was a rather famous person in China, and actually somewhat of a celebrity.

Thinking this, and remembering, Tomoyo rubbed the camera in front of her happily.

The media was all over this celebrity wedding, and every company was after them, pleading for the coveted permission from Sakura or Syaoran to film their wedding, so the clips could be used for their own reports.

Finally, Sakura had heard enough of this, and yelled. There was only so much a woman being constantly harassed by others could take. "Look, my Tomoyo-chan's always been the one to film me, got it? So why is this any different? I'll be damned if some busybody reporter records my wedding, when the one person who can rightfully claim that place is my best friend! So scat, because my answer is no, and I refuse to change my mind! Syaoran will back me up with no hesitation, so just get over it and sulk out of my sight please! I have enough worries without the press breathing up my neck!"

The words had made Tomoyo beam with pleasure. It was a mark of how frustrated Sakura had been that she had actually sworn at the reporters.

That was how Tomoyo had ended up earning herself the spot of the only person allowed to film the wedding.

_As I said, I was jealous, at the time, of Sakura, for finding her soul mate, even if I didn't even realize that I was. So, what was the lie I fed to myself? I told myself that I was simply too busy living my dream of being a fashion designer to bother with love, and that if it came along, I would just go with it. Someday, I told myself, my one and only would come along, but until then I would be working too hard to meet him, probably. Whatever I thought, I certainly thought that it wasn't the right time._

What was another insistence she could think of? Ah, well one of them was easy – he was sitting right behind her, after all.

"Daidouji-san, did I mention that they look absolutely perfect in the clothes you made?"

Tomoyo smiled. "I would compliment you back, but I'm afraid I haven't tasted any of the food yet. Thank you, Hiiragizawa-kun."

He was another friend of hers, but they had never really been close or talked before. They were both friends of Sakura, and that was their main reason for meeting. They got along well, but Tomoyo was only realizing that now. This was really the first time they'd talked without others nearby.

He was also that insistence spoken of. Much like the designers and reporters, chefs had been vying for permission to bake the cake. But Sakura and Syaoran agreed that Eriol would be the one to bake it, no doubt about it. Eriol had become a gourmet chef.

Who would have guessed it? The reincarnation of Clow Reed would find his happiness in the world of cooking. Somehow, it fit him, but nobody could explain why.

_Yes, it was another lie that I fed to myself. That my prince charming would come at the opportune time, and I'd fall in love with him at the right time, and love would come for us when I wanted it to. I should have been smarter than that. I should have known it would come when I least expected it. _

Tears appeared in Tomoyo's eyes as Sakura and Syaoran said their vows to each other. Tears of happiness, Tomoyo thought. I'm so happy for them.

"Tomoyo-san…"

His voice was oddly near her ear, and the use of her first name surprised her. She looked at him. His deep sapphire eyes caught hers. She smiled. "Yes?"

"Sakura-san won't come to you anymore."

That he said it cemented the fact. Tomoyo shrugged. "I know. I'm glad that Li-kun will be there for her, and he'll be better at helping than me."

"Are you sure you're fine with that?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" asked Tomoyo, perplexed. It was an honest question. She truly didn't believe that she could be unhappy about that.

_I didn't even think that my prince charming and I might have already met. Such was the extent of my folly. I lied to myself that I was happy. Without even realizing it, I was miserable. I was miserable and angry at my life. But I never noticed, because I wanted to be happy, so I lied to myself, and to the rest of the world. And they believed me._

Eriol looked at her for several quiet moments, and she found she could not look away from him. At last he turned away.

"Tomoyo-san. If you ever need somebody to help you with baking cinnamon cookies, I wouldn't mind. I have a few good recipes."

Her eyes widened. "How…"

"Magic. I've used it a few times to check in on my cute little descendant, and on Sakura-san. And on occasion, I've also checked on you. Please hear me. I'm always willing to make a batch. Do you understand? I consider you a friend."

Tomoyo was too thoroughly shocked to answer immediately, but she nodded at last, and turned back to the wedding taking place.

"You may kiss the bride."

They kissed. For them, all was perfect.

Tomoyo was happy, and smiled and clapped with the rest. She was so proud of Sakura. She was still crying, in what she thought to be happiness. But at the same time, she was doing what she always did – hiding her true thoughts.

She couldn't help but think it. How did he know? Whenever she was upset, truly upset, and had nobody to turn to, she always baked a batch of cinnamon cookies for herself. It was just something she did to help calm down. It usually worked. How did he know? Not even Sakura knew, not even her own mother knew.

_He was the one person who didn't._

The bouquet was tossed, and Tomoyo happened to catch it. She looked at it for a long moment, and then laughed merrily.

"Ah, Daidouji-san? Do you have some secret lover I have not heard about? I promise not to tell," Eriol joked behind her.

She turned to see his blue eyes, somber a moment ago, laughing at her. And she shook her head, still laughing. "Don't be silly."

"It's who I am," Eriol said with a shrug.

Tomoyo smiled. Her mind had begun to think of Eriol as a curiosity – so serious one moment and a bit of jokester the next. He was a puzzle.

She didn't really mind.

_He saw beyond the lies, even the ones that I couldn't see beyond. And though he put me through many tears and moments of sorrow with that sight of his, in the end, I fell in love with him for it. I fell in the love person who cherished me not for my beauty, not for my apparent happiness, but for who I was, a lonely woman whose life was falling down._

.o0o.

A/N I don't know much about weddings. I haven't attended one since I was four. So if I'm wrong, deal with it.

I hope you like. I'm taking a chance here on this story, putting it up without finishing more of it, but hey, let's see where it goes, alright? I apologize in advance if I end up never finishing this… I really would like to finish something besides a one-shot for a change, but my muses never seem to agree.

Please review; it'll probably inspire me to continue this, which is something I'd like to do.


	2. Despair

Short, sweet, to the point disclaimer: I don't own CCS, so don't sue me.

.o0o.

_The next day, Syaoran and Sakura left for their honeymoon. Only their dearest friends knew where they were going, and his mother. They didn't want to be followed. They just wanted a wonderful week to themselves – a well deserved one, at that. The next day was also the day that everything began to go wrong in my life. The whole mess started with a mere phone call that very morning. I will remember the words spoken for the rest of my life._

Tomoyo woke from a state of deep thought after breakfast to a dreadful ringing in her ears.

Sighing, Tomoyo picked up the phone and answered, "Hello, Daidouji speaking."

She listened, and her eyes widened.

_This is what was said. "Daidouji-sama, I'm terribly sorry. We couldn't reach you yesterday, or today for that matter, until just now."_

"No," she whispered. Her face was drained of any color. The phone fell numbly from her hands.

"_I'm afraid a terrible accident has happened. The reason is still under investigation, but last night something at the main building exploded on the upper floors. So far, they believe the cause was related to an electrical problem."_

She didn't know what to do. She didn't know where to go. But she had to go somewhere. The room was suddenly making her very claustrophobic. The colorful walls turned bleak in her eyes.

"_Many important documents were lost. It was centered on the areas where the most important documents were kept."_

She ran.

She had no idea where her feet were taking her. They just took her. She refused to let tears fall from her eyes.

Eventually, they stopped. Surprised, Tomoyo looked down at her feet, and then up to where she had stopped.

She did not recognize the house. She did, however, recognize the address of the house.

Instincts yelled at her. No, Tomoyo, you mustn't do this. You can't, you shouldn't, it'll only hurt…

Something in her flared at those instincts. I'll take a risk, she thought furiously at them. I have to.

Tomoyo closed her eyes, and when they were open again, Tomoyo looked as calm and serene as ever, though certainly not happy. The smile on her face was small and weak. Still, she was back in control for now, and that was the important thing.

With careful and precise steps Tomoyo walked up to the door of the house and knocked sharply twice.

It opened.

"Good morning, Daidouji-san," he greeted her. "It's nice to see you. What brings you here?"

She smiled. He saw right through it, of course, but she appreciated the fact that he chose to ignore the smile's false nature. "Good morning to you as well, Hiiragizawa-kun. I was wondering if you would please give me some pointers on making my cinnamon cookies, and perhaps help me to bake some. I can understand if you're too busy."

Eriol's eyebrows rose slightly. "I am never too busy to bake cookies. Please, come in."

"_So far, we have counted forty-three injured, and twenty dead. I'm sorry, Daidouji-sama. Your mother… is dead as well."_

Not too long after, Tomoyo lightly shoved the cookies into the oven, closed it, and smiled with satisfaction as she set the timer.

"They're in," she said happily.

She turned around to see Eriol childishly licking his finger. In the bowl that had once held the cookie dough, a clear path along the side, the width of a finger, had been scraped away.

"I can't help it. I have to taste some, every time," Eriol said in response to her amused look. His grin was rather sheepish. As Tomoyo shook her head in amazement, he scraped some more off the side of the bowl and ate that as well.

Tomoyo closed her eyes, sitting down and thinking.

Sometimes, when she was upset, she would go to Sakura. Sakura would talk to her, eventually get what was wrong out of her, and then console her with kind words. Other times, she would bake her cookies, and then she would sit alone in her room, eating them in a comfortable silence.

Baking the cookies with somebody else was something very different. She couldn't complain though. Ever since she'd entered, Eriol had not asked about what was wrong once. Instead, he had simply baked the cookies with her, giving her a few little tips along the way that he'd picked up. He had admitted that her recipe for the cookies was very good, and remarked that she must have made them quite a few times to refine it so much. Tomoyo hadn't actually made them that much, but still, the praise was nice to hear.

Of course, just because Eriol was simply being kind and pretending nothing was wrong without asking Tomoyo, that didn't mean he didn't want to know. It was clear to her that he was simply waiting until she was ready. It was something she was very unused to, with Sakura's way of wheedling it out. Sakura's way helped, yes, but Eriol's way seemed to be exactly what she needed. She liked it better for whatever reason.

Tomoyo opened her eyes again. Eriol was sitting, watching her with a grin that reminded her of the Cheshire cat from that movie she'd watched as a child.

"Were you just watching me the whole time?" Her voice was polite, as though she discussed the weather.

"It was very amusing to see your expression change while the rest of you kept perfectly still," Eriol explained.

Tomoyo sighed. "Fine, fine."

The oven with the cookies beeped. Eriol rose, with Tomoyo behind him, and opened the oven to reveal perfect cookies.

_So the news came, and I broke down. Then I remembered his offer, and took it because I had nobody else. I'm glad I did. Those cookies were good._

Tomoyo bit into one of them, and grinned. "These are the best cinnamon cookies I've ever tasted," she admitted, closing her eyes to savor the taste.

"I agree," Eriol muttered, entranced in a very delectable cookie as well. "These are amazing."

"We make good cookies."

"That we do."

There was silence as they ate a few more cookies together.

Eriol had a question. "Daidouji-san, why cinnamon cookies?"

She froze, and then quickly finished what was left of the cookie currently in her mouth. Tomoyo looked down, clenching her fists as she closed her eyes.

"They were my mother's favorite kind of cookie," she whispered.

Tomoyo fought the tears that tried to appear in her eyes. Eriol hadn't said anything yet.

Then a friendly arm wrapped around her shoulders. "I understand," he murmured.

It was the final breaking point for Tomoyo. The tears fell unstoppably, quiet sobs shook her. Before she could help herself she leaned into Eriol's hold, resting her head on him as she cried herself out silently. Eriol didn't say anything, but continued to hold her warmly, telling her without words that he was there for her.

_But the fact that he was there for me at my worst, the fact that he could tell I just needed silent support, the fact that he completely understood it all…was better._

.o0o.

A/N I hate how attached I get to my characters. I'm feeling really emotional right now… Meh, I want my own Eriol to cry on. ;) Review please!


	3. Obstinance

A/N Ehh. This one was hard to get started on, and I'm sure it's not as good as it could be... and I'm also sorry that it's a bit on the short side. But it's here! And that's the important thing, right? Right? Ehehe... Anyway, read, enjoy, and review to brighten my day, please!

.o0o.

_I had planned to stay in Hong Kong for a while, but now things changed. I did not let myself hesitate in going back to Tokyo to take care of business._

"Are you really sure that this is a wise idea, Daidouji-san?" asked Eriol.

Tomoyo's guard was clearly up. "I know what I'm doing. Truly, you needn't worry about me," she said, zipping up the suitcase.

"Do you have anybody there now? With Sakura-san over here, and your mother gone," he said, causing her to wince slightly, "I don't know of any close friends you have in Japan. Won't you be lonely?"

"I will be fine on my own," Tomoyo replied. She gave him a quick, purely polite smile. He could pick up the slight annoyance with him that she had concealed within it.

"I'm not so sure about that. You're taking a lot of responsibility here. Are you positive you'll be fine, without somebody there to cheer you up?"

"I'm happy with my life, and I can handle responsibility. I appreciate that you worry for me, but it is very unnecessary." Tomoyo silently cursed herself for letting him see that side of her. She had shown a weakness that she couldn't afford to have, and she promised to herself never to let that weakness be shown again.

A silence followed her words, until Eriol murmured, "I can't stop you, can I?"

"I'm glad you figured that out." Tomoyo slipped her purse on her arm and picked up her suitcase with the other hand, then smiled at Eriol. "I have to do this. And I will. Would you do me the favor of apologizing to Sakura-chan for leaving early?"

"Of course."

She turned and walked out the door. Eriol followed behind her silently. At last she was outside the hotel, where a taxi waited to take her to the airport. She turned again.

"Good-bye, Hiiragizawa-kun."

Eriol looked her in the eye, and slowly nodded. "Good-bye."

_I took the plane back to Tokyo immediately after that, and then made my way home. I went to my small but comfortable house rather than the mansion. I considered both to be home, but the mansion would carry too many memories at the time. _

As the car pulled up, Tomoyo smiled. It was good to be home. The day was bright and sunny.

She noticed something odd, though. One of the neighboring houses had always been abandoned, with nobody in it. However, she saw a light on in several rooms. She'd never met that neighbor, and resolved to go say hi later. As for now, she entered her house and set down her bags comfortably. Her cell phone was off – she'd wanted to spare herself the business work for at least an hour after coming home. Then she'd do what she had to do.

So, she cleaned up, and unpacked, and then contentedly she walked over to the house next door to greet them.

She knocked twice. Nobody came for a moment. She heard a few crashes from inside, and a few yells. Children? She wondered.

Finally the door opened. Tomoyo gaped.

"Oh? Hello, Daidouji-san. I'm sorry; did I never mention this house was mine? No? I guess I forgot. I'm terribly sorry about the noise, but Nakuru managed to feed Suppi a bit of sugar. Need I say more?"

Eriol resisted an urge to laugh at the expression on Tomoyo's face. She stuttered, "But-you-"

"Used magic to get here."

"Why?"

"Like I said, it's not a good idea for you to be here in Japan alone. You need a friend over here, and you know it."

"I said that I would be fine, and that you didn't have to worry," Tomoyo said politely, composed now.

"Ah, but I would worry anyway. So," Eriol said, and he picked up Tomoyo's hand and kissed it softly, smiling mischievously as she looked into her eyes. It was almost like when he'd first met Sakura. "I came here for you. Now, please excuse me, I think I'm going to have to use my magic to restrain Suppi before he causes further damage."

Tomoyo just nodded dumbly. He shut the door. She put a hand to her cheek and discovered to her horror and shame that it was hot – she was blushing.

Tomoyo never blushed. Not ever. It was considered an impossibility to all who knew her. It was something that couldn't be.

And yet, it was.

She stood there for several minutes, absolutely stunned. Then at last she shook her daze away and walked back to her house, not knowing what to think of the sudden complications in her once simple life.

_It was the first time I showed the beginning of certain emotions that I had started to feel. I was oblivious to it then. It didn't matter. Either way, I'd been humiliated, and put off-guard. Even though his actions were meant to help me, and I knew it, I avoided him for that reason. My efforts were successful for a while. I saw him a few times, but I made sure that we never had a decent conversation. It wasn't hard anyway. I was busy fixing things up within my business, and helping mother's second-in-command to figure out his new position as the head of her toy company. I knew he was good for the job, but he had no confidence at all. I also had to plan for mother's funeral. But of course, I couldn't avoid a certain reincarnation forever. Eventually the time came when I had no excuse to get away from a talk._


	4. Avoidance

Tomoyo sighed and opened her door quietly. It was later at night than she would have liked to come home, but she needed to keep things under control. She was still very busy in recovering the losses from the fire. She'd had little to no time for herself since. She was also emotionally drained from convincing Sakura, who had called as soon as she had found out about Tomoyo's mother. It had taken a lot of persuasion to make sure that Sakura enjoyed herself with Syaoran instead of coming over and worrying about Tomoyo needlessly. In the end Sakura gave way, because she understood that Tomoyo was apparently fine, and she knew Eriol would be over there to make sure things were truly okay.

Sakura didn't know that Eriol and Tomoyo hadn't talked for the whole week.

Once inside, she put down her bag, and without a second thought she headed to bed.

_And here, I added another set of lies to myself on the ongoing list. I wasn't tired. I wasn't exhausted. I liked this busy way of life. It's not wearing me out in anyway. I certainly enjoy the loneliness of being without Sakura and of avoiding Eriol. Wait, never mind, because I'm not lonely anyway. That's what I told myself. Who was I fooling? Me, and everybody but the one person I could never fool. Guess who?_

But, of course, she never made it there. Before that, she opened a sleepy eye and discovered there was somebody sitting comfortably on her bed. More importantly, that somebody was male.

Tomoyo shrieked, terrified, but then suddenly her voice box gave out. She tried to speak, to say anything, and failed. The man stood, revealing his face, and then it all clicked for the mortified and furious woman.

"Am I really that scary? I'll remove the spell if you won't scream like that."

She nodded, scowling. Tomoyo tried to talk again, and said, "Yes, you are."

Eriol smiled. "The question was rhetorical."

"It was? I failed to notice," Tomoyo muttered dryly. "Is there any particular reason I have one of the three most powerful magicians on earth sneaking into my house in the middle of the night?"

"You've been avoiding me, Daidouji-san. I'm hurt. You won't even speak to your friend?" he said, grinning widely. Tomoyo carefully held back her short temper – apparently, she thought, his new hobby is annoying me.

"I _have_ been busy, but avoiding you? Certainly not," she replied evenly.

_It was a game, in a twisted way. We both knew he was more than "hurt" – he was annoyed, and hurt for real, not like the teasing hurt he'd said. We both knew his reason for coming went deeper than avoidance. He was trying to get through to a part of me that I didn't know existed – the real me, instead of the "me" who was based upon my lies. We also both knew that I was very, very irritated by his presence, that I didn't want to speak to him, and that somehow through all my current anger directed at him, I still considered him a friend. So, it was another game of pretend. We pretended that all was well, conveying our meanings beyond the childish banter of petty words._

"Alright, perhaps you weren't. But I would like to talk."

_Translation: Don't even try lying to me. I know you were avoiding me, but now you can't escape this._

"Hiiragizawa-kun? About what?" Tomoyo's tone was light, and courteous.

_I don't need your "help," and I won't tell you a thing._

Eriol's smirk fell away, and he trapped her eyes. "How much sleep have you gotten this past week? And, for a change, why don't you be honest, Tomoyo-san?"

_He called me by first name, then. I thought that had meaning to it, but later I'd find it was actually just a slip of the tongue. Still, it put me on my guard._

Tomoyo's eyes narrowed. The polite smile stayed. "I have gotten enough, thank you. It's nice of you to care for my wellbeing. But do you think I'm dishonest? What gave you that impression?"

_For the above line, another translation: You're crossing the line, Hiiragizawa-kun. The question about dishonesty doesn't need translation._

"I didn't mean you were dishonest. I just want you to tell me the truth. You have not gotten enough sleep, and you know it."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Tomoyo replied. "I'm fine. Really."

_I really thought I was fine, and not tired. That's how far I tricked myself. Here was honesty, like he'd asked. But truth? No. It was not._

Eriol, to anybody else, would have looked unaffected by this comment. Eriol, to Tomoyo, looked hurt and sad.

"Do you know the difference between honesty and truth?"

"They're the same," Tomoyo said, so startled by the question that her face slipped into a puzzled expression rather than her polite one.

_I know now._

"You really should rest. I'm tempted to put you under a sleeping spell to be sure of it," he replied, changing the subject.

"Did Sakura-chan tell you to care for me? How many times must I convince you that I am alright on my own?" asked Tomoyo, sharpness creeping into her voice with the threat he'd hidden beneath his words.

"Sakura-san did tell me. But that's not my reason, Daidouji-san," he said, once again catching her eyes. This time, she couldn't identify the power in them. No – not power, that was emotion. A strong emotion she couldn't name that made her frozen to the spot. Her heartbeat quickened, and she couldn't look away.

She whispered, "Then what is?"

Eriol was truly surprised. For a precious first time, Tomoyo saw that he was flustered. For a change, he didn't have an answer immediately at hand. He opened his mouth, and closed it again. Then at last he said, "We may not be the best of friends, but you are still a friend, and close enough for me to want to make sure you're okay, especially when you're clearly not. I'll let you go now, but remember."

He lifted his hand, but then quickly moved it back down, and took a breath. "Just remember I'm there if you need me," he said quietly. On that note he disappeared entirely with magic.

_I might have been observant, and I might have been the only person who could read Eriol's thoughts with ease, but I still didn't realize._

Heat in her face told her she was once again blushing.

What is this? She wondered to herself. "I can't be…" she said out loud. Tomoyo trailed off for a moment. With a shake of her head she banished those thoughts.

_And add yet another lie. I was denying the facts. I wouldn't go far enough to say I was already, but at the time, I was most certainly falling in love with him. But as always, the polite smile was on my face, and those thoughts never surfaced, because the lies kept them down. A lie on top of millions more, forming a solid tower. Yet with every passing day, I did not know that that tower was quickly going to crash down._

.o0o.

Dedicated to SilentCynara for letting an otherwise TERRIBLE day have a moment of feeling on top of the world, and for being a great writer of fanfiction. Oh, and update one of your stories soon? Sorry, had to ask. I couldn't resist.

This one's still not as long as I'd like it to be, but it's better. Oh, well. Review, please!


	5. Confusion

It's rather ironic that I was listening to the song "Umbrella" when I finished typing this. (--") I hope it's good! I have no self-confidence! Review, please!

.o0o.

Tomoyo sighed and rubbed her forehead. "Just my luck," she muttered to herself, watching the rain fall on the ground, forming puddles. She really should have checked the forecast. But it had been so bright and sunny this morning that she hadn't thought to get an umbrella, or even a good raincoat – she'd just taken the walk in the warm weather instead of bothering to drive.

And now, she was stuck under the overhang of the building, wondering what to do.

_Reflecting back, I should have asked a friend for a ride home. Oh, wait – that's right. I didn't have anybody close enough to me to ask. Well, there was one person, but I was avoiding him, so I wasn't exactly up to calling him for a favor. But, he managed to "ruin" everything anyway, as always._

"No umbrella, Daidouji-san?"

For a change she didn't jump at Eriol's voice from behind her. Actually, she had half-expected it. He always seemed to appear right behind her. "I thought it was going to be a nice day. But now, I see it isn't," she said. Eriol chuckled, obviously catching the double meaning of her words.

"I forgot an umbrella as well," Eriol admitted.

Tomoyo turned and smiled politely. "And why were you here in the first place?"

"I came to see if I could talk to you."

"When was this?"

"About an hour ago."

"Good. My secretaries did as ordered and didn't let anybody suspicious in. There's a first."

"I'm suspicious?"

"Of course you are. You don't need an umbrella, you can teleport anywhere you like without a single drop on you, yet you remain here. Hiiragizawa-kun, you are extremely suspicious."

"That's true. I can also teleport an umbrella to this place, though, and that's far more fun."

Tomoyo sighed. "Such a powerful sorcerer resorts to blackmail?"

Eriol gave her his cheerful cat-smile. Her heart sped up a little bit. "Maybe."

"I think I'll find some other way to get home, but thank you for the offer," she said politely. "Perhaps the rain will stop."

Contrarily, it poured harder, and lightning flashed in the sky. Tomoyo winced at the thunder's crash. She shook her head in annoyance, and said to Eriol, "Fine. But shouldn't you use your magic for worthier purposes then persuading me to let you walk me home?"

"I should," he said, still smiling. He lifted hand, and with a small "pop" a little umbrella appeared there, which he snapped open immediately.

"Impossible," Tomoyo muttered under her breath, also still smiling.

"As always." He bowed, and held the umbrella out in the rain, motioning for her to step under it. "After you?"

_Once we were walking, my anger faded. He didn't try to make me talk. We strolled under the umbrella in comfortable silence. The sound of the rain falling on the umbrella and the sidewalk had a very calming effect. I would even go so far as to say I was enjoying the walk, at least until a certain friend of mine overheard a random person on the street._

"Did you hear that?"

Tomoyo looked at him and shook her head, wondering.

She had fallen into Eriol's trap. "The woman who just passed us said to herself that we made a cute couple. So, do you agree?"

_Perhaps under other circumstances I might have formulated an acceptably sharp retort; however, when he was hovering over me, standing a little too close, and whispering his question right in my ear…_

Heat flooded her face, burning bright red.

_I found myself absolutely speechless._

"Is that a yes?" he teased.

_My brain scrambled for an answer, and I found an answer alright – but not to his question. I found the answer to why I was acting like this. I realized then that since the planning for Sakura's wedding had begun, I had been slowly, but surely, falling in love with him. _

"N-No!" she squeaked out. "I…"

Suddenly his eyes became less teasing and laughing. They were caring and gentle.

She couldn't look away. He couldn't either.

Eriol's lips lowered to touch hers in a soft kiss.

Tomoyo fell into the kiss without a second thought. She didn't even feel the rain on her when the umbrella fell to the ground. His arms moved to hold her waist, and hers went around his neck. Sparking heat raced through her from everywhere they touched. Her mind sung with joy.

And then Eriol pulled away all of a sudden, shoving her back. She tripped over her own feet and fell on the hard cement, breathing hard and she looked at him in confusion. She didn't even help when she hit – she was too trapped in what had just happened. Eriol stared back at her, breathing just as hard, with just as much lost confusion.

Tomoyo found inside herself the strength to stand up, barely. She stood angrily.

Seeing the scathing look she gave him, Eriol stammered, "Tomoyo-I-"

"What the hell was that? Hiiragizawa, what the hell was that? You always were a manipulating person, so what are you up to now?"

"Honestly-"

"Oh, honest? You've been trying to get me to be honest this whole time. I'm perfectly fine, as I've said, and I don't need your help, _or_ your games! That's honesty? Now how about you show some for once? What are you up to? And what are you hiding?" She was on a roll now, crying, and she couldn't stop herself. "Don't play dumb. You expect me to be honest when you're never truthful yourself? I'm sick of that damn smile of yours, of always hiding what's happened to you! Even when you're hurt you never show it, yet you're asking me? I've had enough of it! Just be fucking honest for once, and maybe I'll be honest back! But maybe not, because I've had it with your shit, Eriol!"

Her tears ran down her face, mingling with the raindrops soaking her to the bone. Shaking with both rage and cold, she turned on her heel and ran, leaving Eriol staring after her in shock.

She heard him yell after her, "Tomoyo! You're going to-"

Her heart was beating far too fast. The stress that had been hanging over her for the past two weeks caught up with her at least, and exhaustion dragged the emotionally wrecked Tomoyo into the darkness.

_I fell._


	6. Awakening

Tomoyo's eyes opened, and she blinked. She was someplace white. She stared blankly at it, trying to remember why she had fallen asleep in a place with a white ceiling. Her ceiling at home was a pretty sky blue.

Memory returned.

_I felt so abused. I really believed that he had manipulated me for his twisted puposes. Everything he did was always so calculating, that I thought him incapable of a sudden impulsive act like that. The only other explanation was that he was trying to fool me into something, but I wasn't sure what. But I also felt slightly guilty. It wasn't like me to lose control so badly. It wasn't like me to demand that he tell me his secrets, either, not when I knew so well that people like us kept secrets for reasons. But I shoved these thoughts away, because above all, I felt lost, and I had no idea why. I allowed myself to feel all this for a moment, because I always did right after waking up. Then, as always, I sealed thoughts of sadness, imperfect thoughts, away behind my polite smile._

"Daidouji-san, you're awake?" somebody said.

She blinked and looked to the side of her bed. A smiling nurse was hovering over her slightly.

"Am I in the hospital?" Tomoyo asked, already knowing the answer.

She nodded. "Yeah. You probably just needed some rest, so you didn't need to be, but your boyfriend was so worried. He's quite a catch, by the way," she said with a conspiratorial wink. Tomoyo decided the woman was just a little _too_ perky. "He cares for you so much! He was freaking out when he got here! And he looks great too!"

"He's not my boyfriend," Tomoyo said politely.

With a laugh the nurse replied, "I know. But I'll bet he will be soon, it's so obvious that he loves you. Nobody can hide that from me, so I would know. If it weren't for the lack of rings, I would have said you two were married already with the way he acted!"

Eyes widening, Tomoyo coughed suddenly in surprise, and then spent several moments staring into space.

_Somehow, I could tell that she spoke the truth, even as perky as she was. And my mind went blank. I was so full of emotion that I wasn't sure what to feel. He… loved me? Was it possible? I simply couldn't believe it. I felt ecstatic, surprised, guilty, and wistful all at once. _

The nurse giggled. "Perhaps I shouldn't have said that. Anyway, I'm Mika. Do you know why you're here?"

"I can guess," Tomoyo murmured, looking down as she snapped out of her reverie.

"Can you?"

"I'm probably here because I collapsed due to an overdose of stress, emotion, and overworking. Combine that with my lack of sleep, the mental strain of the moment, and the fact that I was soaked from head to toe at that point, and you have some trouble, no doubt," she replied dryly.

Mika nodded sternly. Her perkiness was replaced by seriousness, so quickly that it startled Tomoyo. "That's right. You've been asleep for a good twenty-four hours, Daidouji-san. You should learn to take better care of yourself, Daidouji-san. You're allowed to leave the hospital as long as you rest while I clear it up with the staff and try to take more breaks to freshen up in your work. It's not healthy to be so stressed."

"I will, Mika-san," Tomoyo promised solemnly, looking distant again.

_The guilt in particular was stifling. He had been right the whole time. I didn't listen, and ended up getting myself in this mess. Now I was forced to accept the outcome, and everything I'd lied about to myself was looming overhead. I realized all at once how foolish I'd been. I wanted to talk to him, to apologize. To tell him what I needed to say._

"You're thinking about him?"

Tomoyo looked back at Mika curiously.

"I told you, nobody can hide matters of the heart from me," Mika said, rolling her eyes. "He left you alone after he was reassured that you would be fine, saying he had things to do. Then he gave me this little letter for you."

_A letter wasn't his style. I was immediately suspicious. The lost feeling that I couldn't understand grew. I didn't know why I felt lost, but I was beginning to dread the fact that I might find out the reason._

Tomoyo quietly reached out and took the note.

"I'll leave you be. But tell him, alright? He's the one. I know it. I'll go clear things up with the staff," Mika said dismissively. She smiled cheerfully again, and left the room. Tomoyo shook her head in amusement. What a character, she thought.

Her thoughts turned back to the small folded piece of paper in her hand. She slowly unfolded the note, and read the familiar elegant script.

.o0o.

Daidouji-san,

I hope you'll forgive my sudden departure. I left this here so that I might inform you of a few things I want you to know.

The truth? I don't know why I kissed you. It was pure impulse. And now, I wish I hadn't. It was never a game, never. I wouldn't deceive you in such a way. But as for honesty, perhaps I should have given you some. You're right. I'm sorry for hurting you so. I just cared. I care for you in more than just a friendly way. However, I don't intend to act upon that. I will not say anything when there's a risk of hurting you.

I've said more than I meant to. I'd say even more, but I don't think I can find the words. I want to explain, but it's simply too hard to write at the moment.

I need to clear a few things up, so I will be in England for a couple of weeks. Please try to care for yourself in my absence.

Hiiragizawa Eriol

.o0o.

Tears pricked at her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away, and set the letter down. Shaking, she put her head in her hands.

"Eriol…"

_He had left. The lost feeling made sense now._

Her head rose, but no trace of tears remained. A spark of determination had lit in her bright eyes.

_And I knew what I had to do._

.o0o.

Ah! It usually takes me, what, one or two complete start-overs to get a chapter right, excluding any small revisions? I wrote the beginning of this chapter differently at least five times before finally getting it right! (sweatdrops) Review, please! Oh, and here's some food for thought, people… Why England, when he's lived in Hong Kong for the past years? Think it over. Imaginary cookies if you happen to guess why correctly!


	7. Comprehension

In this chapter, assume that they're speaking in English, not Japanese, and that's why they're not using honorifics most of the time.

.o0o.

Tomoyo gulped.

_My secretary nearly choked me with a hug when I told her that I was going for a short vacation in England. She, like others, had been worried about me. She also hadn't said anything about being worried about me, but then again, if she had, I would have snapped at her. It didn't take long at all to arrange for a trip. Now I was in London, for two reasons. _

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. If she didn't do this now, she would regret it forever. She didn't need to be magical to know that she had come to the right place. She just knew. It was up to her to make things right.

_One: I really did need a vacation. I needed time to think things out, to relax, to recuperate, and to grieve for my mother instead of just pushing the sorrow aside. _

With carefully controlled fear and a fake smile on her face (that for once she knew to be fake), Tomoyo knocked on the wood door. She waited.

_Two: I needed to find him._

And it opened.

"Hello? May I help you?" said a woman. She was beautiful, with long red hair and soft brown eyes that cared. She was obviously not young, but she looked like it. If not for the worldly air that accompanied her kindness, nobody would know that she was older than she seemed to be.

Tomoyo let out a sigh of relief. "Hello, Mizuki-sensei. I'm Daidouji Tomoyo. Do you remember me?"

Kaho gasped. "Hello! I haven't seen you in so long! It's wonderful to see you again! I'm glad you decided to visit! But why are you…" The smile slipped away from her face, turning into a look of worry. "Tomoyo, are you here for-"

"Kaho, who is it?" asked a voice from inside the house.

Tomoyo froze. Her instincts hadn't been wrong.

Kaho wordlessly moved aside to let Tomoyo's eyes meet Eriol's, and both of them stared.

Their reveries were interrupted, thankfully, by Kaho. "Tomoyo, would you like to come in for some tea? I was just about to make some."

Tomoyo snapped out of it to smile at Kaho. "I would love tea, thank you."

"Come with me, then. I'm guessing you asked Sakura for my address?"

"I still had our letters, so I just looked at those and hoped you still lived here. It's a very nice little apartment. By the way, what are you wearing?"

Eriol hung back as they began to chatter about fashion, something he had little to do with. He watched them – well, watched Tomoyo – in deep thought.

_It was very awkward in that room. I did love to speak with Kaho. It was uplifting to see such a familiar face from the Cardcaptor days, so long ago. But at the same time, I could not help but wonder. I had known, somehow, to go to Kaho, but I hadn't expected him to be there with her. Why was he there? My head was spinning in confusion. I knew I couldn't hold off speaking with him much longer, and unfortunately for me, Kaho knew this as well. _

"Would you wait with Eriol in here while I make tea?" Kaho asked lightly. Tomoyo nodded, sitting in a chair. Eriol did the same. Kaho left the room, smiling.

Silence lingered for a moment or two. Then Tomoyo gathered up her courage and spoke.

"I'm not happy."

Eriol was startled, but didn't show it. Tomoyo knew, and pressed on.

"I thought I was. I thought I had to be. I've always been like that. I was brought up in a world where I had to be the perfect businesswoman's daughter. The perfect best friend. The perfect company president. The perfect fashion designer. I was so perfect, that I told myself I was perfect."

"So then you come along. And you don't say anything in front of others, but you let me knew that you can tell I'm imperfect. And I lie to myself, and I say that I am perfect. Because I had to be. Because I have to be. I hated you for pointing out what I knew to be truth, but I told myself, with another lie, that I hated you for accusing me of being what I wasn't. Don't you see? I was so stupid. You were right all along. I pushed you away for it. But I don't want that at all."

"You're the only one I know who can actually see that I'm not perfect. I thought I hated you for it. Eriol…" Tomoyo's voice cracked slightly. "I never hated you for it. Not once. Just the opposite, actually. And let's add another lie to the list, because I denied that. And now look. I chased you away to England. But I need you back."

"I'm desperate, Eriol. My life sucks, having to work so hard all the time, even if I love designing. My best friend just moved far away and won't need me as much anymore now that she has her love. My own mother just died in a fire, and I've given myself no time to grieve. And I'm jealous of my best friend for having her own love, when I've been loveless my whole life. I didn't even realize all of this until you made me realize it. And while it makes me depressed and pained to know that I feel this way, I'm glad I do, because it's better than working myself to death almost literally to be perfect, which I'm not."

"Without you, I know it'll happen again. I'll make myself perfect again, and drive myself to the point where I collapse. I might not be so lucky next time it happens. You wouldn't be there to pick me up again, to make me realize that I was lying to myself. I need you. Partly because of that. Partly because you have the best cinnamon cookie recipe I know. But mostly… To have you leave is like losing you. And you saw what losing my mother did to me. I came here to find you, Eriol, because I love you."

Tomoyo looked up at him. Her pleasant smile was replaced by a face of sorrow. Tears were forming in her eyes, and she didn't stop them from falling. At the sight of her, Eriol winced and looked away. He couldn't meet her eyes.

"I'll be right back," he said quietly. He rose to leave.

Her soft hand grabbed his wrist, halting him.

"You can't. For whatever reason, you can't let yourself love me. Am I right?"

He didn't say anything.

"Don't curse my good observing when yours is just as good. You can't fool me. Something's wrong. It's your turn. Why can't you take that risk?"

Slowly Eriol sat back down, still refusing to meet her eyes.

"Kaho," she said quietly.

"I thought I loved her, and she thought she loved me. But she only loved Clow, not Eriol. And I only thought I loved her because it was prophesized that I would. I prophesized it myself. I thought I couldn't be wrong, but I was. I refuse to hurt you in case I'm wrong again."

"You didn't prophesize it. Clow did. And Clow prophesized so much else that was wrong. He thought Sakura-chan would love Yukito-san, but now she and Li-kun are happily married, while Yukito-san and her older brother love each other."

"I still can't take that risk."

"Because you're terrified of that risk. You foresee everything, and so no risk happens. But now, it's either risk, or no risk."

"I won't be wrong," Eriol said again, now sharp. His blue eyes turned, piercing hers with a glare.

Tomoyo glared at him with her own amethyst eyes. "I don't care if you think you're wrong."

He was so surprised that he jumped.

"First, I can tell that you're entirely right. You think I don't know? You can see right through all my lies. Well, I can see through yours. Second, even if you are wrong, which you're not, I'm entirely in love with you. Did you ever hear this quote? Better to have loved and lost than never loved at all. I believe that. If we take a risk and it turns out for the worst, so be it. I'll take that guilt upon myself, for being the one to tell you to take it. And third, I need you anyway. So take the damn risk with me. Please. I love you. You've been hurt by that betrayal of your own heart in the past, but I want to help you get past that. I love you, I love you, I love you, and I don't want you to be so far away. You… You don't have to be the perfect, all-knowing sorcerer, Eriol."

When she stopped speaking, they were suddenly aware that their faces had gotten very close.

Neither of them knew exactly who began it, but suddenly their lips met. Both of them let the kiss speak for itself, apologizing, hoping, loving in ways that words just couldn't quite say.

They parted, and smiled.

"I think I do love you, Tomoyo," Eriol murmured, before kissing her again.

_Everything would finally be alright._

.o0o.

It was so tempting to end it right there, when their eyes first met, but that would be too short a chapter. However, if not for the length, I would have. I _am_ that evil. So, enjoy it? Review for me, please!


	8. Bliss

"The tea's here," Kaho announced happily. She entered the room to find Tomoyo with her head on Eriol's shoulder and her eyes closed, as Eriol gazed at her, a light smile on his face. "Did I miss something?" asked their former teacher, smiling knowingly.

"Not really, this is just a comfortable spot," Tomoyo said quietly, rising.

Chuckling, Kaho said, "Then I'm glad for you. You'll have to tell me about it all later."

Tomoyo and Eriol smiled, looking a little bit embarrassed. They both tried to cover it up by taking their tea and drinking it, and then blushed almost imperceptibly when they noticed that they had done the same thing. Kaho merely smiled.

_She obviously knew already what had happened, and was supportive. I appreciated so much that she accepted it quickly. I hadn't been sure whether there would be any complications. But something still nagged me. How exactly did their relationship end? Why had Eriol come to Kaho when he went to England? I was puzzled, and worried._

"So, Tomoyo, what has brought you to London?" Kaho asked.

"I really needed a vacation," Tomoyo said, sighing. "I've been working a little too hard recently. And England sounded like a nice, interesting spot to visit."

"Where are you staying?"

"Well, I arrived today, so I'm not booked anywhere yet, but it won't be any trouble to find a hotel, I'm sure."

"That's silly. Why pay for a room when you could just stay with a friend? Eriol still has his house. Don't you?"

"It's part of the Reed heritage; of course I still have it. And I always knew I'd return to London at some point." Eriol seemed amused.

"Then that's that. Tomoyo will stay with you."

Tomoyo was about to protest, but then closed her mouth and smiled. "I won't waste breath on arguing when I know I'll lose."

"Excuse me one moment. I'll be right back." Unpredictably, Eriol disappeared. Tomoyo stared for a moment with confusion, and laughed.

"I hate it when he does that," Kaho muttered.

"I think it's hilarious," said the smiling Tomoyo. Then she looked at the older woman seriously. "While he's not here, may I ask you something?"

"Do you want to know what our relationship was and how it ended?" Kaho asked. She received a nod of confirmation. "That's for Eriol to tell you," Kaho said quietly. "Am I right?"

"Yes, but I had to try."

With annoyingly perfect timing, Eriol popped right back on the seat, as though he'd never randomly disappeared. Kaho sighed in exasperation, while Tomoyo just giggled away at Kaho's reaction.

_It never occurred to me that I was acting differently than usual, but I was. Normally I wouldn't be quite so open, so free. I wouldn't have giggled like that; I would have just smiled to myself secretively. He was the reason for it. Letting all that out, figuring out what I had been doing wrong my whole life, had left me feeling like I could finally be myself around somebody, even if I didn't know who I was, because he would let me find out on my own. It was different. It was better._

"And where did you go?" Kaho asked.

"The mansion, of course. Yes, it should be fine. Tomoyo may stay there."

Tomoyo murmured, "Thank you. That's very generous."

Eriol began to turn his head, and Tomoyo took the opportunity to yawn while he wasn't looking. Unfortunately for her, he saw it anyway.

"Are you tired? You just arrived here."

She protested, "I'm fine. I'm just a little bit jet lagged."

He shook his head. "Kaho, you won't mind if we leave, will you? Tomoyo should rest and get settled."

"Of course," Kaho agreed promptly, "We wouldn't want her to tire out if she's on vacation."

"You don't need to talk like I'm not here," Tomoyo muttered, feigning annoyance.

"Then we'll leave immediately. Goodbye."

Tomoyo heard a tiny pop, and then looked around in confusion. Her entire surroundings had changed. It made her dizzy for a moment, but then she realized that Eriol must have teleported her. "Does that ever tire you out?" she asked in exasperation, seemingly to the air.

"Not really." She'd had a feeling that he was behind her. It seemed to be a growing habit of his, the sneaking up at her back. Her suspicions had been correct.

Without warning she spun around and kissed him sweetly, and though confused, he still accepted the spur-of-the-moment display of affection.

When it ended, she smiled and put her head on his shoulder, resting a little.

"What was that for?" he asked.

"Just thanking you."

"Oh." They were silent for a moment, simply glad to have a quiet moment to enjoy each other's warmth, with all other obstacles out of the way.

"You have a question for me," stated Eriol after some time.

With a sigh, she said, "Why did you come to Mizuki-sensei? Why to England? I know you don't feel that way about her, but I can't help but wonder."

"First, I missed it here. I never realized just how much until I came. Hong Kong is great, but it's not the same."

She didn't need to ask him to continue.

"I needed to sort it out. She helped me figure it out, Tomoyo, like… Like an older sister would. I needed to get past it. I needed to face her. So that I could face you."

"Thank you," she whispered softly, smiling into his shoulder. "Thank you for taking a chance. I'm glad."

"You have more you're curious about."

"Yes," Tomoyo admitted. "Did you… Did you ever really love Kaho?"

Surprisingly, the question actually caught Eriol off-guard. He hesitated in answering. "You want to know?"

"I do."

He sighed. "I don't know. I still don't know. I know at least that I don't now though. It was so different then."

"How?"

"Well… I was a man, stuck in a boy's body. I still am to some extent. But then, she was the only one who could keep up with my maturity and knowledge, at her age, and with her magic. But, did I love her? I think not. She was a companion. But she was not my love."

"As for me? Back then?"

"Why, you were Daidouji-san to me. A person who was intriguing, certainly. Truthfully even then, I was slightly attracted to you, and I found your perspectives and ways to be very unique, very special, and worth notice. But it would not have been right. You were young, for all your maturity. It would have been strange. But now, I can accept it. I'm not old like Clow. I'm Eriol. I have my own will, my own age. Maybe I'm older mentally because of Clow's memories, but I am not him. I'm Eriol, somebody the same age as you. And we are very alike, Tomoyo – observant, mature, dare I say odd? We are a pair. I see that now. When we were young, my belief that I had to be with Kaho blinded me to the truth. Tomoyo, with every second I'm becoming more convinced. My heart," he said quietly as he kissed her hair, "Is yours."

He could not see her smile. He didn't need to. He knew it was there.

"Eriol," she whispered with content. She lifted her head again, looking into his eyes. "Thank you."

Again, no more words were necessary between them. Tomoyo felt warmer, softer, and happier than ever. She had been missing this wonderful feeling out of her own stubbornness, but now she could finally have it. And have it with him.

_There were no more lies. They had all been broken and shattered, and they left me hurt. It had been so painful to see what my stupidity had done. For that moment, there was not a single lie. I was not perfect. I was only me, resting with my head against the one I loved at last, a girl who had been through too much recently and who had seen everything in her life fall apart before her. Family, money, dreams and love had all disappeared. But love had returned, and the others would in time. He would keep me from making the same mistake. I would forever love him for it._

"Tomoyo?" he asked quietly. There was no response. He looked to see that she was actually sleeping in his arms, a content smile on her face that hadn't been there for so long. Seeing it made him smile back. With a little magic, he could put her right in bed, but that would be careless. He picked her up and carried her to her room, tucking her into the bed sweetly, and kissing her on the forehead. Her suitcase had already been put on a chair with magic.

Eriol smiled and left the room.

_The rest of vacation was spent occasionally with Kaho, but mostly with him. We went around England, relaxing, simply enjoying the fact that we were together, that we didn't have to care what anybody else thought about it at the time. We kissed, we smiled… We enjoyed ourselves. I was having fun, I was happy. I hadn't been so happy in so long, because all along I had been pretending, lying to myself about happiness. But now… It was real. And I loved it. More importantly, I loved him, and he would come to realize that he really loved me back. That was all that mattered._

.o0o.

Grr. It's shorter than I would like, but oh, well, I guess it will do… I've had shorter chapters anyway. One of these days I'm going to start a story where the chapters are about 5000 words themselves. Wouldn't that rock? Sorry about the delay, too… I was trying to be a perfectionist on this chapter, I guess. Review! I have to know if I managed well enough… Sigh… No. Confidence. Whatsoever.

The next chapter is most likely going to be the last one, sadly. I'm not entirely sure yet. But I do know that it's almost over! I'm so proud of me for sticking with this to the end!

One last note: this is dedicated to hamxham, who I think deserves a little notice for reviewing often. So, thanks!


	9. Epilogue: Love

_Days passed slowly. I still had much work, but he made sure I didn't work too hard, forcing me to come home if I stayed at the building too late, and helping me to relax after a long day, visiting daily to put a kiss on my lips and a true smile on my face. And now, here I am, much happier than before, about to go to my mother's funeral. I'm so sad. I miss her. She really cared for me, even if she wasn't always around to show it. She never missed anything truly important to me, making me a priority, like many women in her position wouldn't. She loved me. I loved her. Today, I will face that she's finally gone. But at least now I have him to help me out and support me. Are you happy, mother? I think you are; I think you would be proud of me, and of my choice. You never met him, but I'm sure you'd like him as well. Because he's sweet, honest, nice, mature, romantic… And of course, a bit of a prankster sometimes, don't forget that. He's mine, and I'm his. I'm so glad. I love Eriol so much, and I know I always will. – Daidouji Tomoyo_

"You're really okay, Tomoyo-chan?"

"I am. Honestly. Truthfully." Tomoyo smiled at her worried friend. "I'm sad, yes, but I'm fine."

"Oh, but I wish I'd come here sooner," Sakura replied. "I would have gladly given up a little bit of my time with Syaoran if you really needed it."

"But I didn't need it, and I still don't. And I would have felt so guilty to have interrupted your time together, too, so can we please drop the subject?"

Sakura opened her mouth to protest again, but her words were muffled when Syaoran clapped a hand over her mouth. He smiled when Sakura glared at him, and then said to Tomoyo, "Well, I for one am happy that you're doing well, and glad that Sakura and I got to enjoy ourselves as much as possible. You're free to come to Hong Kong and visit whenever you like, I hope you know."

Tomoyo laughed at her friends. "Thank you. I'll keep it in mind. Goodbye, Sakura-chan, Li-kun."

"You could be friends with him for twenty years and I think you'll _still_ call him by my last name," Sakura muttered under her breath, now able to speak again. She leaned up to Syaoran for a quick kiss, and said brightly, "Bye Tomoyo-chan!"

The newlyweds stepped into the waiting car and soon left.

Now Tomoyo was the last one at the graveyard. Her expression became a little sad. She turned and walked back in, her feet following the path to a certain very recently established grave. She stood in front of it for a while, just staring at the engraved words, her mother's name. Daidouji Sonomi.

"Hello," she said, not to the grave, but to the person who she guessed was behind her.

A voice replied, "How did you know I was here?"

"The day you _don't _sneak up on me from behind at the perfect moment is the day Kero-chan loses his appetite."

"I certainly can't deny that," Eriol said. She could hear the smile in his voice, but couldn't find the will to smile on her own.

She turned around and buried her face in his shoulder, letting herself be held.

"She was never around for me, always doing business, but she was still my mother, and she still cared. Not many women in her position would have done as much as she did. She never missed anything truly important to me, such as a festival, or a singing competition. Not once. She was always there. On those rare days when I was sick, she would come home immediately to make sure that I was okay."

"I may have only met her once, but I know what you mean."

"It's not fair that she had to leave that way. She had time left in her. But no, just an unlucky accident had to take her from this world. She was the only person I had left in Japan."

"Well, you have me."

"I do. Thank you. But… I loved her so much, Eriol, so much. And I miss her."

"You're crying."

She realized she was. "I am. I need to, I guess. It's been so hard… I've been holding these tears back for so long, haven't I? I haven't cried for my mother since that day with the cookies."

"I'm glad you're crying then. You can always cry on me. You don't have to be perfect, Tomoyo, I'll love you anyway."

Tomoyo nodded on his shoulder, smiling slightly, knowing that she wouldn't be able to reply if she tried. Her tears continued to fall, but she didn't really mind. She wasn't happy, necessarily, but she was content. She still had many things to do before her life could be restored, and her company could get over the losses. Her mother had gone. But in her place, she had learned a lesson and found the love of Eriol.

No, things weren't perfect, but she didn't need them to be. No more lies were left to break. Only the lemon-sweet truth remained.

Eriol rubbed her hair softly. "Ready to leave?"

"Yeah." She stepped back a little, smiling, and wiped her tears, before giving him a long, sweet kiss.

_the end_

.o0o.

This epilogue is dedicated to SilentCynara, for her great work as a beta and her evilness (for lack of a better word).

Thank you to all of my reviewers; I'm glad that you enjoyed my story! Wow... I actually finished it! Hooray! I'm so happy! I'm kind of sad, of course, to leave this story, but it'll always be here for me to read again, right? And besides, it's not like I don't have hundreds of other story ideas to work on...

Look out for SilentCynara's stories, there's a chance we might co-author something in the future, and I also intend to start up a new SxS story sometime soon!

Thank you again! Please, review with your final comments, it'll make my day! - Lauren


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